Typewriting machine



Feb. 5, 1929.

W. H. KUPPER TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1927 2 SheetsSheet 1 IINVENTOR zr ,m a ,w/ ATTORN Feb. 5, 1929.

W. H. KUPPER TYPEWRITING MA CHINE Filed April 11, 1927 2 Shegts-Sheet 2Patented Feb. 5, 192 9.

UNITED STATES 1,701,376 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. KUPPER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ROYAL TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

This invention relates to a type action for use in typewriting orsimilar machines which is in many respects similar to the flexing actionat present embodied in the well known. Royal machines. In such actions,however,

the front links which form a part of the intermediate connection betweenthe key levers and the type bars are pivoted at their front ends to afixed part and it has been necessary either to provide some form ofsliding concomb guide. This permits the downward movement of the linkrendered necessary by 'the ty e action and provides for the necessary siding movement.

In the usual machine having four banks of key levers which are ofdifferent lengths, it is necessary to provide different fulcrum pointsas a part of the means for obtaining a uniform key depression and afurther feature of the invention resides in the provision of a singlesheet metal member which acts as a slotted comb guide for the key leversand also affords the different fulcrum points;

Other detail features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and will be set forth in. the appended claims.

In thedrawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of a part of a a typewriting machine withparts in section showing a key lever of the upper bankand the typeaction connected thereto.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the key in depressed position.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the .keys of the second or nextto highest bank with its associated parts.

Figure 4 is a similar view of the third or next to lowest key lever.

Figure 5 isva similar view of the lowest bank of key levers.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of four key levers, one of each bank andassociated parts, the type bars being removed.

a Figure 7 isa fragmentary view of a portion of the action showing aretaining bar for the front links.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing a modification.

The invention is illustrated as ap lied to the usual Royal portable tyewriter, but may be applied to other types 0 machines so that thisillustration is not to be regarded as in any way limiting the invention.There is shown a part of the main frame A, a carriage B supporting aplaten C, and a type bar segment D having type bars E pivoted therein inthe usual manner.

The key levers are arranged in four banks 1, 2, 3 and 4, the highest orrear bank being shown in Figures 1 and 2. For the purpose of providingfulcrum and guidin means for the key levers there is provide a channelshaped member 5 which extends from side to side of the machine and issupported by the frame thereof. The front vertical wall 6 of thischannel member is slotted to form a comb guide for the key levers. Therear wall of the channel member 5- is divided by slits into fingerswhich are bent so that they lie in four transverse lines as clearlyshown in the drawings. The rear finger 7 affords a fulcrum for the keylevers 1 of the'highest bank of keys. The next front finger 8 affordsfulcrum for the key lever of the second bank. The finger 9 living infront of the finger 8 affords a fulcrum for the third bank of key leversand similarly the finger 1O affords a fulcrum for the lowest bank of keylevers. The key levers ofeach bank are provided at the proper pointswith an inverted V-shaped notch 11 which engages the proper fulcrum. Invthis manner a single sheet metal member is provided which has the dualpurpose of affording the necessary fulcrums for the various banks of keylevers and also provides a comb guide for the key levers. A plate 12extends from side to side of the machine and overlies the various keylevers at a point above the fulcrum thereof so as to prevent accidentaldisplacement. p

At the :if'if'ont of the machine there is provided a vertical platewhich is slotted at 13 to form a comb guide for the front part of the kelevers and this plate has a rearwardly exten ing horizontal portion 14.-terminating in an upward portion15 which is slotted for a purposehereinafter set forth. A metal plate 16 has a portion spaced from thevertical plate and retains a buffer 17 which serves to limit the upwardmovement of the key levers. Another plate 18 extends upward and has afunction hereinafter set forth. It may be noted that the plates 16 and18 are attached to the vertical plate by screws 19 and the verticalplate is fastened to the frame of the machine in any desired manner.Each key lever has a rigid projection 20 which extends upward andslightly to the rear.

There is provided a series of front links 21 and one of these is pivotedby a rivet 22 to the upward projection 20 of the key lever. Each frontlink has a portion 23 which extends rearwardly and downward from thepivot point and is connected by the usual link 24 to the heel of thetype bar. The extreme front portion of each link has an upwardlyextending part 25 provided with an eye to which is attached one end of aspring 26, the other end of which is hooked into a similar eye in theplate 18. When all the type actions are assembled and placed in themachine a rod 27 shown in Figure 7 may be positioned above the body ofthe front links 21 in order to prevent accidental displacement.

It will be noted that the front link 21 is connected to the upwardprojection of the key lever and has no positive connection whatever withthe frame of the machine.

When the parts are moved from the normal position shown in Figure 1 tothe operative position of Figure 2, b a depression of the ey lever, thefront lin which is guided by the slotted portion 15 of the front platewill rock about its engagement with the edge of this plate as about apivot, being held against the same by the tension of the spring 26 andit will also slide somewhat on the comb plate. The spring 26 is thereturning spring for the entire type action and when the key is releasedwill return all parts to normal position. It will be noted that thefront links 21 are similar in shape but that the link which is carriedby a'key lever 1 of the highest bank has a. pivot point 22 farthest tothe rear. The link 21 which is connected to a lever 2 of the second bankhas the pivot vpoint 22 slightly further forward. In similar mannerpivot points 22 of the links which are connected to the key levers 3 and4: are each located slightly in advance of the preceding pivotconnection. Since the links 24 which connect the front links 21 to thetype bars are of uniform length it necessarily follows that the distancefrom the pivot 22 to the point of connection of the link 24 increasesslightly from the top row to the bottom. By

means of the variations in the fulcrums of the key levers and thevariation in the position of the pivot point 22, a uniform depression isobtained for all of the keys of the key board.

Each key lever has a rearward extension 28 which is downturned andengages beneath a I rod 29 carried by arms 30 which are in turnmechanism and ribbon mechanism in any desired manner. The arrangement ofthe various fulcrum points above specified enables a uniform depressionof the key levers to impart a uniform movement to the universal bar forall keys of the key board.

A modified form of construction is shown in Figure 8 in which the rod 27of Figure 7 is omitted and each front link is provided with an elongatedslot 32 through which slots passes a rod 33 supported at its ends in theframe work. The slot 32 is so formed as to allow for the necessarypivotal and sliding movement due to the depression of the keys. In thisconstruction the sliding movement takes place between the front linksand its support instead of between the front links and the key levers asin previous constructions.

It will be obvious that this type action is simple and eflicient inconstruction and that substantially all parts thereof may be stamped outof sheet metal, thus reducing the cost of manufacture. The principleinvolved may be applied to typewriting machines of different types andin constructions which may be quite'widely different from thatillustrated. Minor changes may be made without in any way departing fromthe spirit of the invention, which is to be regarded as limited only bythe scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a typewriting or similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key, lever, and intermediate connections comprising asubstantially horizontal front link pivoted to the key lever andsupported near one end for free sliding and pivotal movement, and

a link directly connected to the front link and to the typev bar.

2. In a typewriting or similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key lever, and intermediate connections comprising a front linkpivoted to the key lever and a comb guide which supports the link forfree sliding and pivotal movement, said comb guide also having a partwhich acts as a guide for the key lever. v

3. In a typewriting or similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key lever, and intermediate connections comprising a front linkpivoted directly to the keylever and supported near one end for freesliding and pivotal movement, and a spring connected to the front linkand acting to return the whole type action to normal position.

4. In a typewriting or similar machine,'a

substantially horizontal front link pivoted intermediate its ends'to thekey lover, a link connecting the rear end of the frontlink to the typebar and means upon which the front portion of the front link rests forfree sliding and pivotal movement. v

5. In a typewriting or similar machine, a type action including atypebar, a key lever, and intermediate connections comprising'a front linkpivoted intermediate its ends to the key lever, a link connecting therear end of the front link to the type bar, and a comb in which thefront portion of the front link is guided for free sliding'and pivotalmovement.

6. In a typewritingor similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key-lever, and intermediate connections comprising a front linkpivoted intermediate its ends to the key lever, a link connecting therear end of the front link 'to the type bar, a comb in which the frontportion of the front link is guided for free sliding and pivotalmovement, a spring anchorage carried by said comb, and a springconnected to the front link and to said anchorage andacting to returnthe whole type action to normal position.

7. In a typewriting or similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key lever having an upwardly extending rigid extension, andintermediate connections comprising a front link pivoted to saidextension and guided near one end for free slidingv andpivotal movement,and a link directly connected to the front link and to the type bar.

8. In a typewriting or' similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key lever, and intermediate connections; and a member carried bythe machine frame andhaving a horizontal portion, said intermediateconnections comprising a front link pivoted to the key lever and restingon said horizontal portion on which it slides and pivots.

9. In a typewriting or similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key lever,

and intermediate connections; and a member carried by the machine frameand having a horizontal portion and a continuing vertical portionslotted to forin a guide, said intermediate connections comprisingafront. link pivoted to the key lever and freely sliding and pivoting insaid guide about the horizontal portion.

10. In a typewriting or similar machine, a type action including a typebar, a key lever, and intermediate connections; and a member pivoting insaid guide about the horizontal portion, said member also havinga'vertical 2 slotted portion which acts as a comb guide for the keylever.

11. In a typewriting or similar machine, key levers arranged in banks,and supporting and guiding means for the same comprising a channelshaped sheet metal member the front Wall of which is slotted to form aguide for the key levers and the rear wall of which is slitted and bentto form tongues lying in a plurality of transverse lines and formingfulcrunis for the key levers-of different banks.

12. In a typewriting or similar machine, key levers arranged in banks,supporting and guiding means for the same comprising a channel shapedsheet metal member thefront wall of which is slotted to form a guide forthe key levers and the rear wall of which is slitted and bent to' formtongues lying 1n a plurality of transverse lines and forming fulcrumsfor the key levers of the different banks, and a notch in the under sideof each key lever which rests on one of said tongues.

. 13. In a typewriting' or similar machine, key levers arranged inbanks, supporting and guiding means for the same comprising a channelshaped sheet metal member the front wall of which is slotted to form aguide for 1 the key levers and the rear wall of which is slittedand-bent to form tongues lying in a plurality of transverse lines andforming fulcrums for the key levers of the different banks, and a plateconnected to the machine frame and overlying the key levers above their:fulcrum points to retain the levers against accidental displacement. I

14. In a typewriting or similar machine, a

type action including a type bar, a key lever,

intermediate connections comprising a front link pivotally connectedintermediate its ends to a rigid extension from the key lever, a fulcrumfor the front link upon which it rests for free sliding and pivotalmovement, a link directly connected to the front link and to the typebar, and means preventing accidental displacement of said front link.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM H. KUPPER. i

